Tower Hill becomes the 68th step-free Tube station in London
Transport for All
Transport for All (TfA)welcomes the installation of two new lifts at Tower Hill station making it the 68th step-free...
Transport for All (TfA)welcomes the installation of two new lifts at Tower Hill station making it the 68th step-free Tube station in London.
The lifts connect the ticket halls and all three platforms serving the District and Circle lines. Alongside the lifts step-free routes have also been created between the Tube station and both Tower Gateway DLR and mainline rail services at Fenchurch Street station.
It was about time that this key tourist destination became step-free. Tower Hill station, which is used by 22 million people each year, is the closest to some of London’s biggest attractions, including the Tower of London and Tower Bridge.
Alan Benson, Chair of TfA, said “Transport for All greatly welcomes the 68th station to be made accessible in London; especially one that is so important for Londoners and visitors alike. Step free access unlocks a station and its surroundings to disabled and older people and we look forward to the opening up of more of the network over the coming years.”
The step-free access scheme was part-funded through an agreement between Transport for London (TfL) and the Citizen M hotel group, which also constructed part of the lift infrastructure as part of local development work. TfA welcomes such partnerships and we think that this should happen more, especially if it means that more stations become step-free.
Future plans
Tower Hill is the 68th step-free station, leaving 202 Tube stations to go until the Tube is completely step-free! Greenford was the 67th when a revolutionary lift that runs up a slope on miniature rails was unveiled in October 2015.
But the problem is that with only a few step-free stations, there aren’t many accessible travel options for disabled and older people on the Circle and District lines.
According to TfL, around forty more Underground and Overground stations will become step-free over the next decade as part of a £326 million investment, which includes funding from the Mayor and London Underground. This will include major stations such as Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Vauxhall and Victoria, and those delivered through the Step-Free Access Partnership Fund.
Picture from: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:London_Underground_roundel_Tower_Hill_tube_station_3_Tower_of_London.jpg
